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Monday, August 1, 2016

Wal-Mart Crime report July 2016

Walmart had at least two employees stab people after encountering problems with other Walmart workers and another one started a fire in retaliation for complaints from management. One of them was included an attack on a contractor for Walmart after the employee had a discussion with his boss; and he also attacked a firefighter who happened to witness it and attempted to stop it. One of his friends claimed it was “Out Of Character” however there were other reports of mental illness and possibly a similar previous incident.

There were also two evacuations due to possible chemical attacks. One of them was just pepper spray but it was enough to send three people to the hospital. The other one allegedly made a possible "Weapon Of Mass Destruction," which is what he was charged with out of items he found in the store. Supposedly he made it on camera, although they didn't realize what he was doing until after the fact. This story didn't get much if any national attention; however it is almost certainly being either exaggerated or under reported. If it is possible to build a weapon of mass destruction with items found in Walmart while in the store it is a serious concern; however, I suspect, this is unlikely. Simple chemical weapons have been made in the past; sometimes by simply mixing ammonia and Bleach which causes a toxic reaction, which is quickly recognized. In the current panic the government is routinely portraying things as terrorists attacks making it difficult to recognize legitimate cases.

There were at least nine different shootings at Walmart and a tenth nearby, this month; at least three of them hit people although there were few if any deaths; and another that led to a chase. Several may have involved lock downs or evacuations. There were, however at least two deaths as a result of car accidents. Two of the past deaths are resulting in trial of murder or manslaughter; including one by employees that tackled a shoplifter and another that involved a police officer that killed an unarmed man and may have lied about the circumstances.

There were also numerous bomb threats; the most dramatic involved two separate incidents, both in Mississippi where someone came in person announcing they were going to blow the place up or “I have a bomb and I’m not afraid to use it.” Two of the shooting incidents were also in Mississippi. Another devise was exploded although they didn't say if it was just a precaution which they do often with suspicious devices. Most of the bomb threats are almost always anonymous, or at least they try to be anonymous, and false.

There were a variety of assaults or knife fights including one where a man carried a bat threatening anyon that might try to stop him while walking out without paying; a knife fight with a shoplifted knife; several randon assaults including one where a loss prevention officer was beaten until he was unconscious, another where four or five employees pulled a man off a police officer and a brawl that involved thirty people, among other things.

There was also another report about a store in Oklahoma which was getting more police activity than other parts of the city, although this is common in many other cities.

They're having more public relations disasters including outrage because they fired another popular employee with cerebral palsy; and labor organizations in China are consulting with US organizations to stand up for their rights.

They had another rabies scare; and an armed group was spotted at one of their stores in body armor. It turned out tehy were just preparing for the end of the world and their weapons were all legal.

Most people have heard the excuse about "my dog ate my homework."

They may not have heard the one where "My dog drove my car into Walmart while I was shopping."

Strange things happen at Wal-Mart!

In 2006 Wake Up Wal-Mart did a study, "Is Wal-Mart Safe?" based on incidents in 2004, (PDF) about crime at Wal-Mart which showed that it increased when Wal-Marts opened up and that crime was higher at Wal-Mart than at other retailers. Since then Wal-Mart Shootings began compiling a list of gun related incidents at Wal-Mart and demonstrated that they have a large number of them, including on average more than one shooting per week somewhere in the country. In January of 2014 another study, "Rolling Back Prices and Raising Crime Rates?" provided additional statistical research indicating that Wal-Mart might be contributing to higher crime rates or at least a slowing of the decline in crime. The study found that. “on average, communities with Walmarts had 17 more property crimes and two more violent crimes per 10,000 people than those communities without Walmarts.” I reviewed this more in Wal-Mart’s crime problem, Rolling Back Safety more than prices? where I explained that although this study is helpful they could have done better with additional data that is available and I reviewed some of that. I also added my own review about why I think that Wal-Mart policies have been contributing to higher crime in a previous blog, Wal-Mart high crime rate continues un-investigaterd and have provided additional information under the author tag Walmart Crime Watch.

Stacy Mitchell has also compiled a list of other studies about Wal-Mart and how they impact society, Key Studies on Big-Box Retail & Independent Business. To the best of my knowledge Wal-Mart has done as little as they seem to get away with, often relying on rhetoric that isn't backed up with action, when it comes to addressing any of their critics concerns, including crime. The following are a list of incidents that occurred in July 2016. According to the "Is Wal-Mart Safe?" the average store in their sampling had 250 incidents per year, indicating that these are only a fraction of the crime reports at Wal-Mart, and presumably, the ones most likely to make the news on the internet nationwide. This isn't statistically representative, as the 2006 or the "Rolling Back Prices and Raising Crime Rates?" study or some of the studies cited by Stacy Mitchell; but it does provide some additional information that may help recognize how many problems there are at Wal-Mart.

Man dies after being thrown from the hood of a car in Ontario Canada Walmart parking lot dispute 07/04/2016

A 25-year-old man is facing a second-degree murder charge after a man was thrown from the hood of a vehicle during a dispute in a big-box store parking lot in Midland, Ont., over the weekend.

Police were called to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in a parking lot on Highway 12 in Midland, a town on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County.

Two men got into a fight shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday, with one of the men ending up on the hood of the other’s car, OPP Det.-Insp. Martin Graham said Sunday.

“They encountered each other in the parking lot. There was an altercation, the altercation carried on. At some point, we have reports that the victim ended up on the hood of the vehicle and was then thrown from that vehicle.” Complete article

15-year-old suspect on the run after a shooting at the Olathe Kansas Walmart 07/04/2016

Police believe everyone involved in this situation knew each other

OLATHE, Kan. —Olathe, Kansas police are searching for a 15-year-old Monday morning after a man was shot in the chest overnight at an area Walmart store.

The shooting happened early Monday morning in the parking lot of the Walmart at 136th Street and Blackbob Road in Olathe.

Officers responded to that area around around 4:30 a.m. Monday to investigate a shooting. When they arrived they found a 20-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.

That man was rushed to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Complete article

NAMPA — Police arrested Mario Garza, the second suspect in a gang-related shooting that sent a 10-year-old girl to the hospital June 29.

Police also arrested Eric Hernandez, age 24, and a 16-year-old male, both Nampa residents, in relation to the shooting incident, according to a press release.

On June 29 Ezri Garcia, 21, was arrested after police claim he and Garza were fighting in the Walmart parking lot on Franklin Road, near the Idaho Center. Both men are believed to have fired gunshots. One bullet struck a nearby girl who was waiting for the fireworks show at the God and Country Festival to begin. Complete article

An attempted carjacking led to a chase that sent bullets flying toward a deputy’s car and shut down a Marietta neighborhood for hours Tuesday.

Police arrested one man and are still searching for another person, according to Channel 2 Action News.

The incident started when a carjacking was reported at 1:20 a.m. at a Wal-Mart in the 200 block of Cobb Parkway.

Marietta police put out a description of a 2001 Silver Mercury Grand Marquis, and soon a Cobb County sheriff’s deputy spotted it on South Cobb Drive.

“A chase ensued and shots were fired at the deputy’s vehicle during pursuit,” Marietta police Officer Kelah Wallace said. “The deputy was not injured and did not fire back at the suspect.” Complete article

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) UPDATE: Meridian police have filed charges against one person involved in a shooting incident that happened at the Bonita Walmart midnight Tuesday.

Sergeant Dareall Thompson with the Meridian Police Department says one person was hit by gunfire near the store.

Thompson says the victim transported to a local hospital with unknown injuries. The victim is being treated for his injuries, and is currently listed in stable condition. Complete article

4 arrested after 30-person brawl at Gates NY Walmart 07/05/2016

Four people were arrested following a 30-person brawl at the Walmart in Gates Sunday night.

According to Gates Police Chief Jim VanBrederode, officers responded around 7 p.m. to the store at 2150 Chili Ave. for a fight inside the store.

VanBrederode said the fight started after two 17-year-olds, one from Chili and the other from Gates, made fun of a dress worn by a 24-year-old. "They were verbally harassing her," VanBrederode said.

The incident escalated quickly and erupted into "a big melee," VanBrederode said. He said both the victim and the suspects had big families there. The groups grabbed items off the shelves to use in the brawl. Complete article

Loss prevention officer beaten until he was unconscious at Columbus Ohio Walmart 07/05/2016

COLUMBUS (WCMH) – Police say a Columbus man severely beat a Walmart loss prevention officer while trying to get away with a bag full of stolen electronics.

It happened on June 25 at the Walmart at 3900 Morse Road.

According to court records, a man and a woman put an assortment of electronics in a shopping cart, and then went over to the toy aisle to unwrap them and place them in a tote bag they took off a shelf.

The pair then hid the tote bag in the comforter aisle and left the store, police said. A short time later, police said 56-year-old Michael R. Purnell walked into the store and grabbed the tote bag and started walking toward the door.

A loss prevention associate tried to stop Purnell as he left, but police said he refused to cooperate. That’s when Purnell started assaulting the loss prevention associate, according to police. Complete article

WESTERLY, R.I. (CBS) – Public health officials are alerting people to a possible rabies exposure in Westerly, Rhode Island after an animal bit several customers at a Walmart on the Fourth of July.

The incident happened at the Walmart store on Post Road Monday between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

At least two people were reportedly bitten by a small black mammal that might have been a ferret, mink or weasel, according to authorities. Those two people have not yet come forward to seek medical attention.

The animal was not tested, and the concern is that it might have been rabid. Rabies is fatal in humans and animals once symptoms appear, according to the health officials. Complete article

BEIJING Wal-Mart faces protests by employees in China over what they say is a drastic change in work schedules as the company overhauls its struggling business amid an economic slowdown and competition from e-commerce.

Weakening demand for traditional retailers has added to trouble for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which has had slow and uneven growth since its first China outlet opened in 1996. It tried to expand into online retailing but sold its operation last month to China's No. 2 e-commerce operator.

Its labor tensions reflect rising expectations among workers to share in China's prosperity and a shift by the ruling Communist Party away from treating them only as a source of labor toward trying to create a consumer society.

Employees said Wal-Mart wants them to work 11-hour shifts on weekends and as little as four hours on weekdays under a system it started to roll out in June. Some said that might result in lower pay and interfere with their ability to work second jobs. Complete article

The crime was reported at the Walmart at 5101 Southeast 14 at 9:12 p.m.

The Des Moines police officer was working off-duty at the Walmart when employees reported a man in the dairy department "acting crazy." Witnesses said the man was spraying air freshener at customers and breaking bottles.

The man also reportedly charged at three employees.

The man was identified as John Phillip DelFranco, 43, of Des Moines. He refused to answer the officer's questions or show his left arm behind his back when the officer approached. When told to show the arm, DelFranco had his left hand in the shape of a gun and pointed it at the officer. Complete article

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Customers at a Pennsylvania Walmart are in an uproar after a popular employee with cerebral palsy was fired after 20 years.

Daniel Ockenhouse, 41, was let go because he couldn’t keep up with the new demands of the job, WBRE reports.

The branch is one of many Walmart’s in American starting a program called “More at the Door.” The store switched it’s greeter position to “customer host” and it requires more work checking receipts and helping with returns.

According to former employees, Ockenhouse would do anything he could to make it to work. He traveled two miles each day in his motorized wheelchair to and from work and would sleep in the store overnight during bad weather so he didn’t miss his shift. Complete article

The firefighter is said to be in stable condition and was identified as George Cook, a McKinney Fire Department Battalion Chief who’s served for over two decades.

Investigators said they believe Martinez targeted Cook and the customer, another man who was said to be a contractor for Walmart. The horrific incident occurred in front of other customers and workers. The suspect then simply walked out of the store and into a nearby field, where he was detained. Complete article

Keyes’ wife, Madison, worked with him at Walmart but wasn’t there Wednesday.

“That could have been me. That could have been, if I was shopping with my family, anyone. It’s close to home. It’s scary,” she said.

Chief Cook was off-duty and was shopping at Walmart. Police say he was trying to break up a confrontation between Martinez, a Walmart employee, and Oswald. They say the two were not targeted but were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Justin Keyes says he can’t imagine what Martinez was thinking.

Wal-Mart's owls have returned to America, but the jobs haven't 07/16/2016

Wal-Mart Stores has been good to America's Great Horned Owl. Not the real bird — the plastic one.

As part of a much-hyped effort to bring factory jobs back to the United States, Wal-Mart persuaded tiny Dalen Products, of Knoxville, Tenn., to shift production of the garden scarecrow back home from China. The only catch: not many jobs followed.

And that's often been the story of Wal-Mart's campaign. As the world's biggest buyer of thousands of factory items, from hunting rifles to bicycles, it's in as good a position as any company to influence U.S. manufacturing — for better or worse: the retailer is widely blamed for sending hundreds of thousands of jobs overseas since the 1990s. Complete article

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is asking suppliers to remove formaldehyde, triclosan and six other substances from their products, part of an effort to eliminate controversial chemicals from household goods.

The chemicals on the list include “certain properties that can affect human health or the environment,” Wal-Mart said in a statement Wednesday. The world’s largest retailer created the list with help from the Environmental Defense Fund, aiming to get suppliers to find alternatives, said Zach Freeze, Wal-Mart’s director for strategic initiatives related to sustainability. The list was limited to eight high-priority chemicals so that Wal-Mart could make meaningful progress.

“We wanted to get started,” he said in an interview. “We knew it wasn’t going to be a perfect list.” Complete article

OXNARD (CBSLA.com) — A man faces charges of creating a chemical weapon capable of creating a gas classified by the CDC that is “immediately dangerous to life or health considerations” inside a Walmart store in Oxnard.

Martin Reyes, 31, was questioned Tuesday in connection with a report of a possible improvised chemical weapon the morning of June 18 at the store at 2701 Saviers Road, Oxnard police Sgt. Mike Gregson said.

When the device was identified as a possible improvised chemical weapon, the store was evacuated for about six hours while a hazmat team rendered the device safe.

A month-long investigation identified Reyes as the suspect. Reyes, who was in custody at Ventura County Main Jail for an unrelated charge, confessed to manufacturing and placing the chemical weapon inside the store after researching how to create the device on the Internet, Gregson said.

Reyes was arrested and booked for the unlawful possession and manufacturing of a chemical weapon of mass destruction. He is being held on $500,000 bail, according to Ventura County jail records. Complete article

HAMMOND, La. —Hammond police are searching for the people involved in gunfire that broke out Tuesday night in the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter.

Police were notified about shots that were fired outside the parking lot at the Walmart on West Thomas Street.

Witnesses told police that a silver Chevrolet Malibu with an out-of-state license plate, possibly Texas, and a black Nissan Altima were involved in a shooting.

The witnesses said that two men got out of the Malibu. One of the men, the passenger, was armed with a handgun and fired one shot at the Maxima, which accelerated toward the shooter as another shot was fired. Complete article

Police: Man used baseball bat to take TV from Burlington NC Walmart 07/21/2016

BURLINGTON — Police have identified the man they say used a baseball bat during the theft of a flat screen television from a Walmart.

Police say Jarrett Lee Somers stole a flat screen TV from the Walmart at 530 S. Graham Hopedale Road about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. Somers, 38, of 1333 Terrywood Road in Mebane used a baseball bat as a weapon during the robbery, according to a Burlington police news release.

Sarasota -- After being called crazy by his boss at Walmart, detectives say a Sarasota man with a history of suicidal tendencies went to Publix angry and upset and intentionally stabbed an employee who was stocking the shelves, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.

Corey Dale Scogin, 29, was arrested and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon for the stabbing of a 57-year-old Publix employee. He is being held at the Sarasota County jail without bond.

Scogin has previously attempted suicide, he told detectives when he was questioned at Sarasota Memorial Hospital while he was being treated for self-inflicted wounds. Complete article

Man shot near Walmart in southeast Albuquerque NM 07/22/2016

A man was shot Friday afternoon at the Walmart near San Mateo and Zuni in southeast Albuquerque.

The man is in stable condition after being taken to a local hospital, according to Albuquerque police, who say the suspect in the shooting is in custody.

CHESTERFIELD, VA (WWBT) - A person is in police custody after Chesterfield Police said they assaulted several people at a busy department store Sunday evening.

According to Chesterfield Police, officers were called to the Walmart Supercenter in the 12000 block of Iron Bridge Road around 9:30 p.m. after a person assaulted several people at the store for unknown reasons. Complete article

DELTA TOWNSHIP - Four Walmart employees were injured Monday in a fight that erupted when they confronted a group of people trying to steal from the store, police said.

Six people entered the Delta Township Walmart store at 5:47 a.m., and each tried to walk out a shopping cart filled with "a large amount of merchandise," said Eaton County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Theresa O'Dell.

A group of employees stopped the would-be robbers, who then began to fight with the workers and pepper spray them, officials said.

One Walmart employee was hospitalized with an eye injury that wasn't directly related to the pepper spray, O'Dell said. The others were treated at the scene. Complete article

Accused shoplifters get lifetime ban from Tenn. Walmart 07/25/2016

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - A man and a woman received a lifetime ban from Walmart after police said they stole merchandise multiple times from the retail giant.

On July 21, the Walmart in the 5200 block of Elvis Presley Boulevard caught a man on surveillance camera walking to the electronics department. Hewas identified as Gilbert Edwards. Complete article

SALISBURY, NC (WBTV) - Police in Salisbury charged a Walmart employee with starting a fire in a stall in the men's room at the store.

According to the report, the incident happened on Saturday at the store on S. Arlington Street.

Wesley Page, 18, of Rockwell, was charged with injury to real property.

Police say Page was angry at his supervisor and that he went into the bathroom and set a toilet paper dispenser on fire. The dispenser, two rolls of toilet paper, and the wall of the bathroom stall were damaged. Complete article

A St. George man was arrested Sunday after he allegedly entered a woman’s vehicle in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart located on Pioneer Road and attempted to kidnap her.

Jace Michael Farr, 28, was arrested and booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility Sunday and faces charges of attempted kidnapping, vehicle burglary, failure to stop at the command of an officer, intoxication and disorderly conduct. Farr is being detained on a $9,800 bail.

St. George Police Department officers were dispatched to the Bloomington Wal-Mart at 11:49 p.m. Saturday on a suspicious person report. According to the probable cause statement filed in the 5th District Court, a female reported a male had climbed into her vehicle while she was parked in the grocery store’s parking lot. Complete article

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Patrol cars lined up outside the Wal-Mart Supercenter, 1212 S. Madison St., early Wednesday morning, but they weren’t responding to a report of a problem.

Dave Warden, store manager, said he wanted to take the time to thank local officers for everything they do in Webb City in the wake of police shootings recently across the country, including high-profile killings in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

So far in 2016, there have been 69 officers who died in the line of duty, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page; 32 of those were shot, while others died in accidents or from other causes. Complete article

RALEIGH David Kyreem Turpin, 43, of Raleigh man was charged Wednesday with a $30,000 predawn robbery at a Walmart store and with armed holdups at a Family Dollar store on Monday and a Food Lion grocery store last week.

Police said in arrest warrants that Turpin went into the Walmart at 1725 N. New Hope Road about 5:15 a.m. and was armed with a black semiautomatic handgun. He left with $30,899.56, the charges stated.

Turpin also is accused of using the same gun to hold up the Family Dollar at 3400 New Birch Drive on Monday and the Food Lion at 4327 Falls of Neuse Road on July 18. Complete article

One person was accidentally shot after a gun discharged Thursday at a Wal-Mart store in Granbury, police say.

Officers responded at about 2 p.m. to the store in the 700 block of East U.S. Highway 377, where the person was treated by paramedics.

Granbury police said the person, whose identity has not been released, was expected to survive. It is not known whether the shooting victim was the person who had been in possession of the gun when it fired. Complete article

An unarmed black man never charged or lunged at a white Portsmouth police officer last year before the officer shot and killed him, according to a Wal-Mart guard who was standing feet away.

But the loss prevention officer also said William Chapman II, 18, did not follow Stephen Rankin’s orders. He said when Rankin pulled his handgun, Chapman responded by saying, “Are you going to (expletive) shoot me,” and making a “fighting gesture.”

Fla. Wal-Mart employees charged with manslaughter in death of 64-year-old shoplifter 07/29/2016

Police have charged three Florida Wal-Mart employees with manslaughter in the death of a 64-year-old suspected of shoplifting.

The workers are accused of suffocating Kenneth Wisham, 64, after they chased him down for allegedly stealing nearly $400 worth of DVDs from the Wal-Mart on North Road 98 in Lakeland on Feb. 7, a local Fox News affiliate reported.

Mr. Wisham fell to the ground and the employees held him there until police arrived, the station reported.

Mr. Wisham was transported to the hospital in critical condition and was later pronounced dead, Lakeland police said.

The coroner ruled that Mr. Wisham died of mechanical asphyxia. The autopsy also revealed that he suffered 15 broken ribs, Fox News reported. Complete article

Armed men in body armor at Ky. Walmart tell police they were preparing for Doomsday 07/31/2016

Police were called to the Richmond Road Walmart Saturday night after a witness noticed a car full of men in body armor holding semi-automatic weapons. A six-month old baby was also in the car.

Lt Jackie Newman said when Lexington police officers got the three men out of the car at about 11:15 p.m., they said were preparing for Doomsday and needed supplies. The men were armed with pistols and semi-automatic rifles, police said. A license is not required to have semi-automatic weapons in a car, police said.

Police also found marijuana in the car.

All three subjects voluntarily came down to police headquarters for questioning that night, said Lt. Richard Willoby of the Lexington Police Department. They were given a citation for the marijuana but were not charged with any other violations, and were later released. Complete article

Woman leaves dogs in car, dogs crash car into WV Walmart 07/31/2016

WAYNE, West Virginia – A pair of dogs who were left in a running car have crashed the car into a Walmart.

WSAZ reported that an elderly woman in Wayne, West Virginia recently left her two dogs in her car as she went shopping at Walmart.

The dogs somehow managed to crash the car into the building at a slow rate of speed. Complete article